Triumphrat

geoffmcmanus

I am having a King & Queen on my new Bonnie as for me it answers my only criticism of the bike. Unfortunately I do not like the look of it very much. However I think that I can "ease" the visual impact of the seat by fitting the Triumph leather bags (been mucking about on the "Create my Triumph" configurator). My dealer is less than impressed with them saying that they don't hold up well cosmetically and don't like the rain of which we get an awful lot here, plus they are a tad expensive. Can anyone using them please give me their views.

Geoff.

ff73148

Here is a photo of my T100 with a Burton saddle and the Triumph leather saddlebags. I haven't been caught in to much rain and they seem to be holding up well.

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Frank Ferrante
2011 BMW R1200RT
2011 Tuxedo T100

ff73148

Sorry the photo didn't load.

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Frank Ferrante
2011 BMW R1200RT
2011 Tuxedo T100

Richybow

Hiya,

I bought a second- hand pair for £50 a couple of years a go and had to pay someone to fix the straps which had rotted as the previous owner used them in all weathers. The rivets fell off in parts, and the corners rotted, as they're made from cheap leather. I waxed them every couple of months and to be fair, they did not deteriorate further. I got rid as they don't fit with my new exhaust. I would strongly suggest you look around on eBay for example, where there are lots of new sets from different manufacturers at a fraction of the triumph price. There are also much cheaper pannier brackets available too.

Dan McGrath

I have a set of the Saddlebags........Too damned expensive and to boot secured to the rack by velcro straps. Poor design for the money. The leather can and should be treated with preservative and the velcro strapping can be replaced with leather or as I do with a pair of bungee cords. Aftermarket on these.....

DezynGuy

I've had my bags a year. My only gripe is the fragility of the buckle snaps.

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geoffmcmanus

Thanks folks. Ebay here I come.

Geoff.

gjones

... saddle bags for the Bonneville are very, very difficult, in terms of appropriate styling and size.

The Bonneville is actually a rather small and elegant design. Most bags are either too big - making the bike look fat-arsed - or just really, really ugly.

As with women (or men), it's important to not just settle on something (someone), because it seems as though the options have run out.

Forget about "Triumph" bags - regardless of style, the quality is really low. For the atrocious price, you can instead get something of high quality, custom made, that will last for many years. "Triumph" bags cannot survive any hard duty whatsoever.

I agonized over this for some time, poured over designs and measurements, and, refusing to settle on "imported" bags of low quality designed evidently for 1960's biker gangs, finally found small-town American leather workers who understood what is required for the authentic, practical leather saddle bag that lasts a lifetime. Bags made by American bikers are going to be better in every way than those made by Asian "slave laborers".

I'm happy to refer you to the folks I know - just PM me - but I'm sure that google can help also.

.

L50

I would also recommend leatherworks. I feel like the bags I bought from them were tailor made for the Bonnie.

geoffmcmanus

Which ones did you get and did they require the Triumph frames.

Thanks.

Geoff.